Chapter 11: Shadows Over Helix


    <hr>


    The Academy’s Darkest Rival


    Helix Academy was the pinnacle of Cipher Beast training, but it wasn’t the only one.


    Beyond the safety of the Megacities, in the lawless zones where rogue Cipher Users and mercenaries thrived, there was another school—one that didn’t care about honor, ethics, or limits.


    Blackthorn Institute.


    Where Helix trained Hunters, defenders of civilization, Blackthorn trained something else entirely.


    Assassins. Mercenaries. Killers.


    They didn’t believe in Cipher Bonds as partnerships—they believed in domination. They broke their Cipher Beasts, twisted them into weapons of war, forced them into evolutions that nature never intended.


    And now, for the first time in years—


    They were on the move.


    <hr>


    The Announcement


    Axel had no idea about any of this.


    At least, not until the academy-wide emergency meeting was called.


    The entire student body packed into the Grand Hall, a massive amphitheater filled with holographic displays, instructors standing along the walls with grim expressions.


    Professor Aldren stood at the podium, eyes scanning the room.


    “This morning,” he began, “one of our reconnaissance teams was attacked at the northern border of Helix territory.”


    The murmurs started instantly.


    Hunters were rarely attacked inside controlled zones. The academy had security, elite trainers, and some of the strongest Cipher Users in the world.


    For someone to directly challenge them…


    It meant war.


    Aldren tapped the podium, and a holographic image appeared above him—security footage showing a burned-out transport vehicle, its armor torn apart, scorch marks littering the ground.


    And then—


    The camera zoomed in, revealing a symbol painted onto the wreckage.


    A black, jagged emblem resembling a serpent with three eyes.


    The room went dead silent.


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    Axel didn’t recognize it.


    But Jace did. His hands clenched into tight fists.


    Ryder, standing nearby, muttered under his breath. “Shit.”


    Axel frowned. “Okay. What am I missing?”


    Rook, standing off to the side, let out a low whistle. “Ooooh. That’s not good.”


    Aldren’s voice was cold.


    “Blackthorn Institute has resurfaced.”


    Axel felt a chill crawl down his spine.


    Because from the way everyone was reacting, Blackthorn wasn’t just an enemy.


    They were a threat the academy never wanted to face again.


    <hr>


    A Rivalry Beyond the Arena


    Blackthorn and Helix had been rivals once. Decades ago, both schools had competed for dominance—pushing Cipher Beast training to its absolute limits.


    But while Helix focused on strength through partnership, Blackthorn took a different path.


    They experimented. Modified Cipher Beasts through forced evolution. Broke their minds.


    Until one day, something went too far.


    The details were classified, but whatever happened back then destroyed Blackthorn’s reputation.


    Helix survived. Blackthorn vanished.


    Until now.


    Axel swallowed hard. “So… what do they want?”


    Aldren’s eyes darkened.


    “They want to prove they were right all along.”


    And that?


    That meant taking down Helix Academy.


    <hr>


    Mandatory Combat Trials


    After the meeting, every first-year student was put into immediate battle training.


    No warnings. No warm-ups.


    It was simple: Fight, improve, or get left behind.


    The message was clear—if Blackthorn was coming, Helix couldn’t afford weak students.


    Which was why Axel now found himself dodging for his life as a training drone nearly took his head off.


    “Faster, Mercer!” Rook barked from the observation deck. “You think Blackthorn’s gonna wait for you to figure things out? Move your ass!”


    Axel gritted his teeth, rolling under an incoming energy pulse before Tempo launched off his shoulder—his tiny body twisting midair, tail whipping across the drone’s sensor module.


    The drone staggered.


    Axel saw an opening.


    “Tempo—Shock Pulse!”


    Tempo tapped the ground twice, then slammed his palms together—


    A burst of sound energy erupted outward, staggering the drone completely.


    The system beeped.


    <blockquote>


    Combat Trial Complete. Rank: B+


    </blockquote>


    Axel exhaled. Not bad. Still not enough.


    Jace, of course, had already finished his trial with an S-Rank rating.


    The guy didn’t even look tired.


    Jace glanced over at Axel, crossing his arms. “Better. But still too slow.”


    Axel scowled. “You wanna fight, Stroud?”


    Jace smirked. “Soon.”


    And somehow, that felt like a promise.


    <hr>


    A Deeper Mystery


    Later that night, Axel found himself back in the Archives, staring at a locked data file.


    O.R.I.O.N. flickered to life.


    <blockquote>


    “You’re looking for answers.”


    </blockquote>


    Axel leaned forward. “Blackthorn. What do you know?”


    The AI hesitated.


    <blockquote>


    “Enough to know this is only the beginning.”


    </blockquote>


    The screen shifted, revealing a grainy, classified image of a Cipher Beast unlike anything Axel had ever seen.


    It was massive, twisted, its form unstable, like it had been forced through too many evolutions at once.


    And at its center, a figure stood—


    A student in a Blackthorn uniform.


    A message appeared.


    <blockquote>


    "New enemy identified. Codename: Revenant."


    </blockquote>


    Axel’s stomach dropped.


    This wasn’t just some rogue Cipher User.


    This was a student.


    A Blackthorn prodigy, trained to kill anyone in their way.


    And if Axel didn’t get stronger—


    He was next.